Transmission congestion for drawing electricity
in The Hague Centre-Northwest, Scheveningen and Duindorp

The electricity grid in the municipality of The Hague is nearing the maximum capacity for how much electricity can be drawn (i.e. used) in the districts Centre-Northwest, Scheveningen and Duindorp. On 20 December 2023, Stedin made a provisional congestion report to the Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) for the affected area. We will also carry out a congestion management survey. 

We expect that the amount of electricity used in the municipality of The Hague will increase substantially, as customers use more and more electricity for heating, cooking with electrical appliances, charging electric vehicles and other purposes. To maintain the reliability of the electricity supply, Stedin has filed a provisional congestion report. Customers using large amounts of electricity may still apply for new or additional transmission capacity for drawing (using) electricity, and we can realise their connections. However, because of the provisional congestion report, these customers will be added to a waiting list for that new or additional transmission capacity, at least until we have the results of the congestion management survey.    

Congestion management survey 

We will use the period ahead to examine whether we can make arrangements with customers to modify how much electricity they use, in exchange for a fee. Called “congestion management”, this flexibility is needed first and foremost to guarantee the certainty of supply for the years to come. If and when further flexibility becomes available, it will be used to offer transmission capacity to waitlisted customers. While we are carrying out the survey, incoming applications for new or additional electricity transmission capacity in the affected area will be added to a waiting list. We expect to announce the results of the survey mid-2024. 

Wanted: flexible frequency restoration reserve  

Besides expanding the grid, flexible solutions are a key step in the energy transition, and in fact a vital one. To reduce the load on the grid at peak times, we urgently ask customers in the affected area to help with our congestion management, by offering flexibility in exchange for a fee. For example, when the demand for electricity is particularly high, Stedin might ask customers to use significantly less electricity during a specific period, or even none at all. Until the structural expansion of the electricity grid is complete, flexible capacity can be used to yield additional transmission capacity on the electricity grid for other customers. If you can offer this flexibility, please get in touch.  
 
Further information and how to sign up for flexible capacity

Watch the webinar on grid congestion

On January 25, Stedin, in collaboration with TenneT, organized the webinar on Grid Congestion for companies in the congestion area of The Hague Center-Northwest, Scheveningen and Duindorp. The following topics were discussed during the webinar:

  • The role of the grid operators Stedin and TenneT.
  • Explanation of the congestion in the area.
  • Plans for strengthening the grid.
  • Temporary measures, better use of the grid.
Watch the webinar (with English subtitles)

Area affected by transmission congestion

Kaart die het congestiegebied in Den Haag toont

See what postcodes fall within the congested area* 

* This diagram has been prepared with the greatest possible care. However, since our grids do not always overlap perfectly with postcode areas, no rights can be derived from this diagram. 

How does the congestion affect you?

Large-volume users with a capacity >3x80A

You may not exceed the contractual transmission capacity

If you already draw electricity from our grid, your contract will state how much electricity you may use. See your Connection and Transmission Agreement (ATO) for details. It is very important not to exceed your contractual electricity transmission capacity, or GTV-E. As long as we do not have any additional transmission capacity available, exceeding your contractual capacity could cause major damage to our electricity grid, for example. This could then impact other customers who are connected to the grid, and you could be held liable. Considering the potential consequences for the electricity grid, we will be very firm about enforcing contractual capacities.   

Important: If you exceed your contractual transmission capacity, the value will not be adjusted.  
 
You can find out more about how much electricity you draw from the grid by contacting your metering company. A certified installer can advise you on what measures to take to make sure that you do not exceed your contractual capacity.  

Waiting list for expanding within the capacity of your connection 

At least until we have the results of our congestion management survey, all requests from customers to expand within the capacity of their existing connection will be added to a waiting list. To expand within the capacity of your transmission connection, please contact klantenservice@stedin.net.   

Waiting list for expanding beyond the capacity of your connection 

To expand beyond the technical capacity of your connection, visit www.mijnaansluiting.nl and apply to have your connection upgraded. At least until we have the results of the congestion management survey, these customer requests will be added to a waiting list.

Requests submitted before
20 December 2023

If you have already received an offer

If you have received an offer, please remember to accept it before its validity expires. We will then proceed to realise your connection so that you can make use of the requested capacity. The provisional congestion report will not affect your situation. 

 

If you have not received an offer yet

If you have not received an offer yet, this means that our grid no longer has room to accommodate your request. We will send you a modified offer. If and when you accept it, we will add you to the waiting list, at the requested capacity, at least until we have the results of the congestion management survey. 

Upgrading and expanding the electricity grid

To accommodate further requests for capacity, national grid operator TenneT and regional grid operator Stedin will need to replace and expand the grid in The Hague. Among other projects, this will involve updating an existing station, building a new station and laying kilometres of cables through the city. The work will involve a total investment for TenneT and Stedin in the region of 100 million euros, and is expected to last until 2033.

Frequently asked questions

What is transmission congestion?

Transmission congestion is like traffic congestion. In recent years, several parts of the Netherlands have seen a surge in the demand for electrical transmission capacity. One of the reasons is that more sustainable electricity is being produced at decentralised locations. Another is that people are using more electricity. Grid operators like Stedin are spending vast amounts of money to structurally expand the grid. However, this involves meticulous procedures and will take years to complete. Until the grid has been upgraded, it will remain congested, and we will have to apply a system of congestion management. The extra capacity that this frees up on the grid can be used to grant more transmission capacity to customers that use large amounts of electricity.

Why will it take so long to upgrade/expand the grid?

Upgrading the electricity grid involves meticulous preparation and completing multiple licensing procedures. This takes a very long time. Another issue is that the sector as a whole is struggling with a severe shortage of engineers to carry out all the work. On top of this, the energy transition has caused a sharp increase in the demand for components such as transformers, and we expect it will take longer for them to be delivered.

What solutions are available in the meantime?

Stedin will begin a congestion management survey. Besides a technical study, we will also issue a call to the market for companies and other customers to come forward if they are flexible in how much electricity they draw at peak moments. We will then sign contracts with those customers, and once we have contracted enough flexible capacity Stedin can connect waitlisted customers and offer them transmission capacity.

What is congestion management?

Congestion management is like avoiding rush-hour traffic. Congestion management means allocating the available capacity on the electrical grid at moments when the demand for transmission is higher than the grid can handle. Stedin does this by asking customers that use or produce large amounts of electricity to temporarily reduce how much electricity they feed into the grid, or alternatively to temporarily draw less or more electricity. This flexibility is needed first and foremost to guarantee the certainty of supply for the years to come. If and when further flexibility becomes available it will be used to offer transmission capacity to waitlisted customers. We might then be able to grant those waitlisted customers transmission capacity before the upgrades to the grid are complete. Stedin urgently asks companies in the congested area to get in touch if they would like to be paid to temporarily reduce how much electricity they draw from or feed into the grid.